Wine is the great pride and treasure of made in Italy all over the world; everyone knows it and everyone envies it. Tuscany is loved and known for its high quality wines, such as Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino, just to mention the most famous denominations. But it is not just a question of worldwide recognition, wine for Tuscans is much more than a product of excellence, it is culture, tradition and family. Sitting at the table and opening a bottle of wine has always been an almost magical ritual that connects entire generations, from the elderly to the very young (in fact, in the countryside there is the tradition of giving children a snack bread soaked in wine, water and sugar). Organizing shows and events to make it known to everyone is basically a duty; it is impossible not to share such a precious asset. The whole year revolves around it, we can consider the beginning from September, from the harvest period, when we prepare for the new vintage to be produced. So let's see together the months of wine in Tuscany and we do to celebrate it.
September is precisely the month where it all begins; the month of the harvest. As we have already seen in our previous article, it is also possible to participate in the grape harvest, but there are also village events where people celebrate it by challenging themselves to crush grapes in wooden tubs, as they used to do in the past.
However, September in Chianti is not only the month of the grape harvest, but it is also the month of the Expo of Chianti Classico, a wine tourism event that takes place in Greve in Chianti, where all the Chianti Classico wine producers gather with tasting stands and thematic meetings.
In October, the harvest and the new season continue to be celebrated with wine and grape harvest festivals in all the provinces. Particularly important is the "Cantine Aperte” (= open cellars) an event organized by the Tuscan Wine Tourism Movement. The wineries participate in the event during the weekend, opening their cellars to the public throughout the day, and events such as lunches, aperitifs and trekking in the vineyard are often also organized for the occasion to make their reality better known.
November is the time when Novello wine is celebrated. Not to be confused with new wine, that is, the wine obtained with the last harvest, the new vintage, so to speak; Vino Novello is a type of wine (regulated by production regulations) which is obtained without pressing the grapes, but by letting them macerate in whole bunches, under their own weight in a hermetically sealed container, full of carbon dioxide. In this way a very fruity and soft wine is obtained, to be drunk only young. It is the classic autumn pairing with roasted chestnuts. Many festivals and celebrations throughout the territory are dedicated to this winning combination.
For lovers of the most important types of wine instead in Livorno takes place "Mare diVino", an event that gathers wineries from all over Tuscany, in particular those of the coast. This event also hosts local producers and themed tastings.
PN The event is postponed to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
December is Cantine Aperte again with the Christmas holidays coming up, the companies remain to toast together with enthusiasts and onlookers waiting for the new year with dedicated events such as snacks in the cellar, tastings and live music.
The new year opens with two noteworthy events, which take place very close to Borgo Scopeto Relais. “Wine & Siena” is an event organized by WineHunter (Merano Wine Festival) to celebrate the oenological excellence awarded by the WineHunter Award. It takes place among the most beautiful historic buildings in Siena, such as Palazzo Salimbeni, Palazzo Squarcialupi at Santa Maria della Scala, Palazzo Comunale, Palazzo del Rettorato and the Grand Hotel Continental, with tasting stands and thematic tastings.
"Sangiovese Purosangue" is also an event that takes place in the city of Siena, and is organized by the Enoclub of Siena to celebrate the Tuscan grape par excellence, Sangiovese in all its forms and nuances. It gathers many producers, some also coming from other regions where this variety is grown such as Umbria, Marche, Lazio and Emilia-Romagna.
February is perhaps the most important month for the wine world in Tuscany, it is the month entirely dedicated to previews, that is to say the previews of the new vintages produced, open not only to professionals in the sector, but also to the public. It begins in Florence with the “Chianti Classico Collection” and “Chianti Lovers”, and then continues in San Gimignano with the preview of Vernaccia di San Gimignano, the “Benvenuto Brunello” in Montalcino, and ends with a preview of the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Tuscan food and wine festivals that takes place in April in Camaiore, on the Tuscan coast and gathers most of the local producers, who in addition to the classic tasting stands present exclusive tastings with particularly interesting, of great wines coming especially from the areas of Bolgheri, such as Sassicaia and Ornellaia.
The last weekend of May Cantine Aperte returns, the event of producers who open the doors of their companies to the general wine-loving public. With the warm season started, outdoor events in the vineyard are back, such as themed picnics and ad hoc tastings.
In July Montalcino becomes a contemporary cultural place, with the Jazz & Wine event where great jazz musicians from all over the world meet together with the great producers of the area for a truly exceptional combination, where music and wine are the absolute stars.
The year of wine ends in August with the "Calici di Stelle" (=glasses of stars) event which usually takes place in the evenings between 10 and 15 August a bit everywhere. A great open-air tasting where wine associations and producers come together to toast the night of the shooting stars with the hope that the next harvest will be propitious.
In Tuscany, therefore, every month is the right one to discover and appreciate our most precious asset, wine. Whether it's a big event or a small town event, taste and fun are guaranteed.
